Merck beats earnings estimates as cancer drug Keytruda sales surged 12%

The drugmaker posted $16.29 billion in quarterly revenue, topping Wall Street forecasts, though a big acquisition charge pushed it to a net loss

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Merck $MRK reported first-quarter revenue of $16.29 billion, up 5% from a year earlier, beating analyst expectations of $15.82 billion, according to CNBC.

Keytruda brought in $8.03 billion during the quarter, a 12% year-over-year gain, the company said. Demand for the immunotherapy was particularly strong in metastatic settings, while prescriptions for earlier-stage cancers — including triple-negative breast cancer, cervical cancer, and renal cell carcinoma — also........

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